Could the LucidSound LS50X be the perfect headset for the Xbox Series X/S?
One of the products we reviewed last year that surprised me the most, was the LucidSound LS35X. This was because LucidSound was a brand that I hadn't really given much thought to previously. Since reviewing the LS35X, LucidSound are very much a brand of headset that are on my radar, so when the opportunity to review it’s bigger brother the LS50X I jumped at the chance.
The biggest thing I love about LucidSound is their attention to detail. Unlike most gaming headsets which come with very little in the box, LucidSound headsets always come with brilliant little additions that other manufacturers simply don't think of. One such addition is the hard shell case. I mean it’s a wireless headset designed not only for gaming but for day to day life. So they have been really practical to include a hard shell case that you can put your headset in to protect it when in transit. Another addition that I LOVE, is the little rubber plug that they put in the box to protect the 3.5mm aux plug upon removal of the mic. I mean it's not a game changing feature, and absolutely not a reason you would go out and buy a headset. But, what it does do is show that as a company, LucidSound cares about the products they are selling and the longevity of them for consumers, which usually means it will be a good product to begin with.
Design
The LS50X are absolutely my favorite looking headset on the market. The Sleek design (somewhat reminiscent of Beats by Dre) and the lack of visible buttons and dials for things like mute and volume, make it a headset you can truly wear anywhere. Speaking of the control scheme, it is great. It's really simple to use and after a few minutes of learning what each thing does, it’s actually really easy to remember. Each ear cup has one large pressable button in the centre and a turning wheel around the outside. The turning wheel adjusts your audio volume on the left earcup and your chat mix on the right; with the press of a button on each side you can either mute the sound or mute the mic respectively. Simple right? This control scheme is only further enhanced when connected to your laptop or phone using bluetooth. When connected via bluetooth the left earcup still adjusts your volume when turned, but now the button press will play/pause your music track or youtube video etc. The right ear cup however, is where they really come alive. Turning allows you to skip/previous your music and pressing the ear cup turns on mic monitoring/talk through. This allows you to continue listening to your music, whilst being able to hear what's going on around you. An important feature for a headset I'll be wearing on the go.
In terms of overall build quality, the LucidSound are as sturdy as they come. They passed all the bend and twist tests I threw at it and the durability of them is insane considering just how much flex they allow. The buttons feel solid and the mixture of leather, metal and plastic finishes really give it a really premium look and feel.
Comfort
Once again, LucidSound has gone above and beyond in terms of comfort. Whilst overall, they aren't quite as comfortable as the Razer Blackshark V2, the same attention to detail is there. The padded headband is comfortable, but it's the cooling gel infused ear cups that really set the LucidSound headsets apart from others. They’re subtle; they don't necessarily feel “cool” to the touch, but as your head heats up, the cooling gel seems to kick in and makes a massive difference. This means you can game harder for longer, without the discomfort or the sweating.
The clamping force is enough, without being too much and the ear cups are perfect size for my ears, having said that, if my ears were even slightly bigger they might be a little too big for this cup size so they’re not quite a ‘one size fits all’ scenario.
Audio Quality
The LucidSound LS50X is absolutely one of the best sounding headsets we have tested. Playing games such as Call of Duty, the footsteps were clear and concise, while the explosions and gunshots sounded deep and punchy. The spatial sound is up there with the best. I found it very easy not only to tell what direction footsteps were coming from, but also how far away and how high they were. It made a real difference to my overall awareness in those clutch moments on COD. The audio sounds really accurate and they include really good bass to enhance your overall gameplay experience.
Unlike a lot of ‘Xbox only headsets’ the LucidSound LS50X works surprisingly well with PC. Either connect via bluetooth for basic stereo audio or use the USB receiver to get the full audio experience, enabling features such as Windows Sonic that deliver rich pinpoint accuracy audio every time. This Windows sonic support also makes it an extremely good choice for watching movies and other videos.
Battery Life
Being a wireless headset of course something we need to mention is battery life; this is an area in which the LS50X outperforms most of its competition. On their website, LucidSound states that you can expect up to 20 hours of use on a single charge. I however, have consistently had between 24 and 26 hours of use on a single 3 hour charge.
Microphone
The microphone on the LS50X is about average. Definitely not as good as the likes of the GSP 670, but absolutely good enough to use on a daily basis. A feature I wasn't aware of, but did find out accidentally, is that by pressing the left cup twice and holding the second press for 2 seconds, it actually cycles the microphone filter on/off which makes a big difference in blocking out background noise.
Pros
Sleek design
Robust build quality
Excellent audio quality
Pinpoint spatial sound
Comfort
Cooling gel ear cups
Over 20 hour battery life
Excellent control scheme
LucidSound’s attention to detail for the customer experience
Cons
Average microphone quality
The LucidSound LS50X is a really great headset across the board. Slightly let down by the microphone, but outperforming a lot of other headsets in so many other categories. That makes the LS50X Gaming Australia’s new ‘best Xbox headset’ in our headset guide for 2021. It is a headset we would recommend to anyone looking for an Xbox headset that also includes the freedom of connecting to other devices such as mobile phones as well.
